Lakewood levy supporter responds to critic

Editor:

This letter is in response to Dave Kenmir’s May 15 letter regarding the Lakewood levy failure.

The information that was in Mr. Kenmir’s letter is very disheartening. It is obvious that Mr. Kenmir has his own ideas about the school and funding that are based on something other than fact. Having an opinion is a basic human right. However, Mr. Kenmir’s opinions are not based on facts but rather assumptions and possibly misinformation.

First, the school district does not pay for the reduced and free lunch program. That money comes from state and federal agencies. It has nothing to do with the levy.

Second, if the money is going to pay teachers...How is it not going to the kids? The teachers are the people who are teaching the kids and providing them with an education. That goes directly to the kids. Paying for an ‘Ivy league school’? Good luck getting into any institute of higher education with the bare minimum classes required by the state.

Third, cheerleaders do pay for their own uniforms. I have a family member who cheers and it costs her family about $500 per year after uniforms, shoes and camps. My daughter participates in extracurricular activities and it costs me a fortune. A friend’s sons participate in two of the sports Mr. Kenmir deems worthy of school funding and it costs their parents a fortune. Nothing is free.

Fourth, if property is already ‘devalued’, why sell the relatively small amount of property that surrounds the schools? They won’t get any money for it anyway.

Fifth, the money from the levy isn’t going to affect the school immediately. The changes won’t take effect until the 2011 school year. So, Mr. Kenmir is right, no one at Lakewood has joined the ranks of the unemployed....yet.

Finally, in regard to busing. Anyone who thinks that in a rural school district busing is unnecessary, I challenge them to pick a starting point 1 or 2 miles (even though most kids live further away than that) from the intersection of Lancer Dr. and Rt. 40 and start walking. Try to do it at about 6am and in the rain, you may change your mind.

Unfortunately, Mr. Kenmir’s ideas of why the levy is not needed for the school is probably not his alone. I can only hope he educates himself on the facts before going to the polls again. And yes, I will be seeing you at the polls in the fall too, Mr. Kenmir. I am sure both Cheri and I will be sleeping well, as we are doing what is needed for the kids and the school. Whether you sleep well or not is not my concern, I only hope you educate yourself on the issue a little better before you vote. Ronda StephensHebron